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WikiLeaks
WikiLeaks is online and non-profit organization (website) that publishes secret and uncovered stories of governments, organizations, and people. The goal of this organization is to show significant information to the public people. It is a form of journalism by using Internet and interacting with various people online. Except situations in a few nation, people easily visit this website without difficulty. Breif History This website was created by Australian Internet activist Julian Paul Assange in 2007. At first, everyone could edit this website. However, as of 2010, only managers of WikiLeaks can edit the website. With publickly known assoicates such as Kristinn Hrafnsson, Joseph Farrell, and Sarah Harrison, many employees contribute to WikiLeaks. Julian Paul Assange Julian Paul Assange is an Austrailian editor, activist, publisher and journalist. He is a founder of Wikileaks which publishes various information and secrets. When he was young, he was a hacker and also a computer programmer. He became famous in 2010 when Wikileaks published U.S military and diplomatic documents. Exclusive Interview with 'Wikileaks' founder Paul Assange. Topics WikiLeaks covers various topics *War, killings, torture, and detention *Government, trade, corporate transparency *Suppression of free speech and a free press *Diplomacy, spying, and (counter-) intelligence *etc. More specifically, *9/11 (How many text messages were sent among people) *CIA (CIA supported some armed groups) *Iraq War (How American soldiers killed innocent Iraq civilians) *Baghdad Airstrike (http://wikileaks.org/wiki/Collateral_Murder,_5_Apr_2010%7CCollateral Murder) Thus, we know that WikiLeaks covers almost everything happened in the world. Controversial Issues Freedom of Speech vs. Natioal Security (Espionage Act of 1917) *1st Amendment guarantees freedom of speech *Espionage Act of 1917 protects national security and find *s spies International problem *Not only United States of America but also other nations confront WikiLeaks WikiLeaks itself does not violate certain Internet laws. Instead, WikiLeaks becomes a problem when it talks about sensitive subjects which are related to national security and diplomatic documents. But because of the way wikileaks is set up and publishs their stories it is almost impossible for the law to accuse anyone of a crime. In places like China, Africa and the Middle East prosecution for publishing secret information could result in death while in the US it results in jail time. A Major Motion Picture WikiLeaks has become such a phenomenon that a major motion picture has been made based on the scandals and people involved with it. It is called “The Fifth Estate” and it stars Benedict Cumberbatch as Julian Assange. According to the Washington Post Julian Assange and WikiLeaks are not happy with the movie. They feel that it is unfair about how it represents certain events. Julian Assange and WikiLeaks created their own documentary film titled “Mediastan” It can be downloaded for free while “The Fifth Estate” is being shown. The film “The Fifth Estate” has not received good reviews or performed well at the box office. http://wikileaks.org/ Future There are two perspectives toward WikiLeaks. Some people support WikiLeaks, while the others do not. For example, WikiLeaks received "New Media Award" from British newspaper Economist. At the same time, one British journalist insisted that WikiLeaks is delinquent and anti-democratic. How we perceive WikiLeaks is a critical question for all of us in this class.